Man poses as PMO secretary, NITI Aayog member in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar; booked

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nov 17 (PTI) A 45-year-old man was caught allegedly posing as a secretary with the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and a member of the NITI Aayog during an event in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, police said on Monday.

The incident occurred on Sunday, when the accused, Ashok Thombre's name was called out during a function in the MIDC Waluj police station area, an official said.

He said that police were deployed at the event, and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Pankaj Atulkar initiated a check.

However, there was no record of any official visit by a Central government secretary.

Thombre, a resident of Beed, claimed to be a secretary with the PMO and a member of NITI Aayog but could not produce any official credentials, the official said.

On searching his belongings, the police found a plate bearing the inscription 'Bharat Sarkar' (Government of India) and a tricolour typically used on government vehicles, he said.

Thombre was accompanied by Vikas Pandagale, a private bodyguard, who was also taken into custody, the official said.

A case was registered against the duo under sections 319 (cheating by personation), 204 (personating a public servant) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), he said, adding that a probe is underway. PTI AW ARU